Chillaxing
Over the summer, this fox has become comfortable observing me from 15' feet. This particular day, I was gardening and felt eyes upon me. The fox was basi...
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Over the summer, this fox has become comfortable observing me from 15' feet. This particular day, I was gardening and felt eyes upon me. The fox was basing in the sun on a rock cropping. I had my camera with me and cautiously got as close as I could to not loose the pose as well as startle the little guy.
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Dec, 2015Views
376
Likes
Awards
Winner in Foxes Photo Challenge
Absolute Masterpiece
Peer Award
All Star
Superb Composition
Magnificent Capture
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Categories
Ultimate
PRO+
KatieMcKinneyPhotography
January 14, 2016
Congratulations on winning my "Foxes" photo challenge! This shot has amazing clear detail, love the pose, the fox looks very comfortable and relaxed. Love your description. Its amazing how this beautiful animal allowed you to get so close. Great work, fantastic image! Enjoy your new award!
Kathy_Banich
January 15, 2016
Thank you very much for this kind message - it was a nice surprise to log-in and discover I had won. :-)
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
Living in the mountains / parallel to a National Forest, I'm blessed to have wildlife near my house. This particular shot was taken on my property near a natural rock cropping.Time
If memory serves me, I believe this image was taken at around 5:00 in the evening. I was working in my garden beds and felt eyes upon me. I always have my camera close and was able to nonchalantly position myself for the shot. I named this image "Chillaxing"; it's been a popular image.Lighting
In nature photography - we are often left with only what Mother Nature bestows upon. I was lucky the image was not shot during high noon and scattered clouds filtered the shot.Equipment
This handheld image was taken with a Canon 7D and a canon 200 mm lens.Inspiration
Words can not express the peace and contentment I feel when photographing animals; they are my favorite subjects. The trust that a photographer has to earn is more challenging then any artistic and / or technical knowledge; it requires patience, determination and respect for all living creatures and once achieved, the opportunity to capture the moment is more than gratifying - it's euphoric!Editing
I have a pretty simple checklist of things I do post-processing. I check the levels to assure I have no blocking or clipping, I determine the best frame / presentation and crop the image, I look at the curves and adjust if necessary. I like my images to look natural and consequently only use a slight amount of vibrancy. I sharpen all my images as I'm a fanatic when it comes to detail.In my camera bag
I have a variety of lenses and several camera bodies. That said, dependent on what my target subject is for the day - I pack accordingly. For wildlife I love my 200 mm lens. I'll also load the car with my tripod and 500 mm lens. For macros I typically use a macro 100 mm. For landscapes I pack a tripod, remote shutter release and my 10 - 24 mm lens.Feedback
Again, I can not stress enough the importance of earning trust when photographing wildlife. I never use a flash, as that would only alarm them and potentially put me in a dangerous situation. I silence myself and my camera as much as possible. I stay my distance and make no sudden moves. When photographing larger animals, I always identify an escape route; maybe a car or a thicket of trees. Patience is key! The most memorable experience I've had was coming across a herd of deer who seemingly accepted me and was not bothered by my camera. They bedded down literally 20 feet from where I was kneeling and allowed me to photograph them for 4-hours.
